


Falling

by demishock



Series: Welcome to Galdin Quay [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Gen, IgNoct, Ignoct Week, M/M, ignoct weekend, ignoctweek, ignoctweekend, ignoctwritingweekend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-10
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-20 17:39:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14899028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/demishock/pseuds/demishock
Summary: Insomnia falls, and so do they.Ignis refuses to stay down.Sequel to my previous fic, "Distance".





	Falling

**Author's Note:**

> And thus concludes ignoct writing weekend! As always, it's been a blast. Thanks to the folks running it, and to my friends on tumblr who help me cope with my brain as it wigs out over how to finish things, and to anyone who reads these fics of mine. You guys are the best.
> 
> I hemmed and hawwed over tacking this on as a second chapter to "Distance" or making it a stand-alone, but decided on the latter since I wrote it for a separate challenge. It references the conversation that Ignis and Noct had in the previous fic, but hopefully I summarized it well enough in the text that this can work on its own if people don't feel like reading both.
> 
> Written for the combined prompts for ignoct writing weekend day 3 - Place: Galdin Quay, and Object: Paper

Ignis awoke first, as he always did, and opened his eyes to the sight of his prince curled against his chest.

He smiled.

Last night had been a roller coaster. He'd run the gamut from concern to calm and from confusion to comfort in the space of a couple of hours. A long-overdue conversation with Noctis had led to the revelation of feelings that Ignis still wasn't quite sure what to do with, and they'd gone to bed wrapped in each other's arms for the first time in as long as Ignis could recall.

Noctis had always been clingy in his sleep, at least when he was sleeping beside Ignis, and last night had been no exception. Ignis carefully - albeit reluctantly - dislodged his t-shirt from Noctis's fingers, and sat up, retrieving his glasses from the bedside table. Noctis showed no signs of waking despite all the movement, and a quick glance at the bed across from them confirmed that Gladio and Prompto were still sound asleep. Ignis stood up and crept to the attached bathroom, readying himself to face the day ahead.

As he combed and styled his hair, he went over his mental to-do list. If Dino did, in fact, turn out to be as reliable as he claimed, then there should be a ferry arriving shortly. Ignis would need to make arrangements to have the Regalia brought aboard. While he didn't expect they'd be doing much driving in the water-bound capital of Accordo, he had no intention of leaving King Regis's personal vehicle unattended. At best, they could expect to find it vandalized upon their return. At worst, they'd not find it at all.

With any luck, the others would be up and ready by the time Ignis had finished securing their passage, and they could have a nice, hearty breakfast at Mother of Pearl before they packed their things and got on their way.

His mood soured some at that.

In a few short days, Noctis would be wed to Lady Lunafreya, and Ignis could hardly bear it. He knew, logically, that there was no better match for Noctis than the Oracle, but even so, he opposed their union with every fiber of his being.

It was not his place to do so.

And so, he'd buried his opposition deep in his heart the day he'd learned of it, putting on a brave face and voicing his support even as internally he was screaming into the void.

No matter how he tried to deny his feelings for Noctis, somehow they always rekindled, forcing him again and again to stomp them out before they could catch flame and burn out of his control.

As much as he wished that Noctis's stilted confession last night could change things, he knew it was not to be. No matter how either of them felt, Ignis knew that he could not falter. He would see this through no matter how it pained him, because that was his duty to Noctis, and this was Noctis's duty to Lucis.

He stared hard at his reflection, summoning his courage, and buried his feelings yet again.

Even so, he couldn't help the lingering sense of foreboding that followed him as he re-entered the bedroom.

Casting one last look over his slumbering companions, he made his way to the door.

His sense of foreboding increased tenfold as he quietly left their rented room, entering the resort proper. There were few others up at this hour, but those who were looked pale, frightened, and distraught. Ignis's first inclination was to question Coctura, whom he'd struck up a rapport with the evening prior, but she was already surrounded by a gaggle of patrons clamoring for her attention.

Ignis caught the words, 'signing ceremony,' and felt the dread sink into his very bones.

Searching for an equally reliable source, he headed down to the pier, where their ferry continued its unnerving absence. Also absent was Dino, which prevented Ignis from giving him a piece of his mind regarding said ferry. There was a woman pacing up and down the dock, murmuring fretfully into her cell phone. A cluster of people stood by the signboard, debating whether there was any chance at all, now, of the ferry coming to fetch them, or if it would even be safe in Altissia if it did.

Ignis withdrew his own phone, which was entirely devoid of any new messages. He tried to load the web browser and found himself unable to get a signal. It seemed that even the best technology Insomnia had to offer was no match for the scattered signals out here in the rest of Lucis.

Feeling well and truly out of sorts now, Ignis hurried back up the stairs, and caught sight of a familiar figure across the deck.

"We got scooped, plain and simple," Dino was saying peevishly into his phone as Ignis made his way closer, and Ignis felt another twinge of irritation over the fact that the reporter's was working when his own was not. Dino flapped a newspaper around in his free hand as he spoke. "Well, I know at least PART of it's a buncha bologna-- No, I can't tell you here; too many gawkers around. Lemme confirm a few things, capisce? I'll get back to ya."

Dino disconnected and turned, stopping dead as he realized Ignis was standing there.

"What in the world is going on?" Ignis asked tersely.

Dino looked this way and that as he approached, and it took all of Ignis's willpower not to step away as the other man encroached into his personal space.

"Where're the rest of youse guys?" he asked lowly. "Everyone still present and accounted for?"

"Yes; we're all just fine. Why?"

Dino looked, of all things, relieved. He took a step back, but continued to keep his voice down.

"Good. That's good. I kinda like that prickly prince of ours; be a real shame if something were to happen to him. My advice to you - get outta here ASAP, and keep a low profile. Maybe rent a less obvious car, for starters."

Ignis's head was spinning.

"Just what are you on about? And where is that ferry you assured us would be here?"

Dino had the decency to wince.

"I'm real sorry, pal; I don't think any amount of sweet-talking is gonna get that ferry past the empire now. Not after… well…"

"Not after _what_?" Ignis snapped, impatience getting the better of him.

Dino paled.

"Oh man, you really don't know, yet, do ya?" he said, rubbing the back of his neck. At Ignis's glare, he thrust the paper he was holding out for Ignis to take, which he did with mounting trepidation.

Ignis had to read the headline several times before the large, bold text registered in his brain.

**INSOMNIA FALLS**

"Surely not," he breathed aloud, without quite meaning to. That simply wasn't possible. It made no sense. "The signing ceremony--there was no date set. Someone would have alerted us…"

"You're tellin' me," Dino said, scuffing his shoe against the deck. "Took us _all_ by surprise. Guess they must've made a rush job of it, and now…" He spread his hands helplessly. "Anyhoo, I'm scramblin' to sort out the details as they come in. I've got sources all over Lucis, and now they're workin' double-time. If I find anythin' else out, you'll be the first to know."

"I--" Ignis was at a loss, the headline still clamoring about inside his head, drowning out everything else.

Dino clapped him on the shoulder, startling him back to himself. Normally he would have abhorred such contact from a veritable stranger, but just this once, it served to ground him.

"Listen: I know I gave you fellas a hard time when you first showed up here, but I'm not about to go spillin' any state secrets. Those dirty Nifs won't hear nuttin' outta me, I swear. Take care of yourselves, alright? Can't be losin' my number one band of jewel hunters."

"Yes; of course," Ignis said, his own voice sounding strange through the static in his ears. "Thank you, Dino."

"Don't mention it."

Dino gave his shoulder one last - oddly reassuring - squeeze, then turned and moved further down the dock, once again dialing his phone.

Ignis hoped they really could trust him. If the headline was true, they were going to need all of the allies they could get.

Numb, he meandered over to an open table, seating himself. Steeling his resolve, he set about reading the full article.

Then he read it again.

It defied all logic. Ignis couldn't believe it.

Their city, burning - overrun by the enemy. Their king, murdered at what should have been a peaceful transition of power.

How in the gods' names was he going to tell Noctis?

His stomach twisted painfully at the very idea. He had never excelled at being the bearer of bad news, but it would be far worse to let Noctis learn of it in the way that Ignis himself just had.

A memory struck him, unbidden, of an argument they'd had, years ago - one of the very few true fights they'd ever had. Ignis, chastising Noctis for being irresponsible and not taking his duties seriously; and Noctis, furious and miserable at the fact that everything they were doing was in preparation for his father's death.

Now it seemed that time had come sooner rather than later, and Ignis felt as though they hadn't prepared at all.

If this was true…

If King Regis truly had perished last night…

That meant that Noctis was king, now.

Ignis was now advisor to the king.

The knowledge weighed heavily on his shoulders. It felt so utterly _wrong_ to learn of it while he was sitting alone in the middle of a beach resort on what should have been the morning of their departure for Noctis's wedding.

He wondered if this was the gods' cruel way of granting his unspoken wish - of preventing them from going through with it.

Guilt gnawed at his heart.

Today should have been a momentous celebration: an end to the war, a coming-together of all the world's people as they rallied around the Prince of Lucis and the Princess of Tenebrae to usher in a new era of peace.

Not this.

Anything but this. 

For Noctis to wake and discover that his father had been ripped away from him while he wasn't even there to say goodbye…

It wasn't fair.

It was unbearable.

It was _unacceptable_.

Life had already been so cruel to Noctis.

What advice could Ignis possibly offer him now?

Ignis's head snapped up as he suddenly realized he was surrounded by noise. The restaurant had filled with locals and tourists alike while he'd been lost in thought, and the place was abuzz with panic as the news traveled from mouth to ear. He slowly got to his feet, the newspaper held limp in his grasp as he picked his way through the crowd to the door of their suite.

Ignis couldn't do it.

One look at Noctis, and his resolve crumbled, cowardice killing the words in his throat. All he could manage was to inform them that it was in all the papers as he handed his copy to Gladio and let him and Prompto read it aloud.

He did his level best to remain calm - for Noctis. For the others.

Noctis made the decision that they would return to the city, and Ignis tried to focus on what needed doing now.

"I'll get us packed. Gladio, if you would go to the front desk and make sure we're checked out…?"

Gladio looked across at Ignis and gave him a single, terse nod.

"On it. Prompto, you're with me," he added, and Ignis made a mental note to thank him later for giving him and Noctis a moment alone.

Prompto hesitated, glancing back and forth between the three of them before reluctantly following Gladio out of the room.

Noctis remained seated in the chair where he’d landed during the exchange, staring hard at the floor.

Ignis willed himself to think of something to say – some wisdom he could impart on his new king – but nothing seemed satisfactory. There was no flowery language to soften the blow, no promise Ignis could make that everything would be all right.

The only thing Ignis knew for certain was that he was here, at Noctis’s side – that he wasn’t alone.

"Noct--"

"Packing. Right. Got it."

Noctis pushed himself to his feet, speaking in clipped, terse syllables. It was clear that he wasn’t interested in anything Ignis had to say right at that moment. He grabbed a few of his scattered belongings and began haphazardly stuffing them into his bag.

It stung, but Ignis knew that Noctis knew that he hadn’t been about to chastise him for not doing his chores. This was just how Noctis got when he was in pain.

At a loss, Ignis followed suit, albeit with a bit more care. Even as he carried out his self-assigned task, though, his eyes were ever on Noctis, trying to read him – trying to find a way to help.

It was with no small measure of dismay that he concluded that perhaps there really was nothing he could do.

It was far from the first time he’d felt this way, but somehow this time it was so much worse.

Soon enough there was nothing left to pack, and Ignis straightened, handing their various luggage to Noctis to commit back into the Armiger. Noctis's head remained bowed, dark bangs obscuring Ignis’s view of his face, and Ignis felt a tightness in his chest. Just this once, he wanted to pull Noctis back under the covers, wrap him in his arms, and tell him to go back to sleep.

Instead, he tried again to say what he’d begun to earlier. He knew it was futile; knew he was just speaking for the sake of filling the awful silence with something with a tiny shard of hope in it. But he needed Noctis to know.

"I'm here, Noct," he said, soft and solemn. "Should you have need of me."

Noctis sank onto the end of the bed with a sigh.

"...Do you think it's all true?" he asked, his voice small and tired.

Ignis didn't know what to think.

"I was given to believe that we were going to see for ourselves," he demurred. That was, after all, why they were about to return to Insomnia.

"That's not what I asked, Specs."

"I think... that we should be prepared for the possibility," Ignis said carefully. "Prepare for the worst and hope for the best."

Noctis made a fist, thumping it against the mattress.

"THAT'S your sage advice?" he asked tersely.

Ignis reached reflexively for his glasses, resettling them, and Noctis stood again, pacing toward the window. He unclenched his fingers, raking them through his hair instead.

"Ignis…"

"I know," Ignis said. Noctis rarely meant the things that he said in anger; Ignis wasn't about to hold it against him. "No matter what happens today…"

He let it linger, the echo of the promise they'd made last night. Everything may have changed around them, but nothing would change _between_ them. Whether they had a kingdom left or not, Ignis would remain with Noctis, always.

"All right, then," Noctis said shakily.

He took a deep breath and turned back around to face Ignis. Underneath the fear and anger, there was a new determination in his eyes.

"Let's go."


End file.
